•Manipulation• [BNHA × Male!OC]

Chapter 130: Spiraling as we speak

"I just wanted to thank you two," I settle on eventually.

"HAH?!" Katsuki was obviously about to explode again but I gripped his hand tight.

"Let me finish," I laughed.

I guess he could tell I was nervous, because he ended up backing off.

"I know I can be kind of annoying, I'm loud and abrasive," I'm cut off as I notice Shoto's brows furrowing and I decide to lay off the self-deprecating for now.

"But you guys take such good care of me!" I chuckle, looking down at my lap, not quite trusting the look on my face right now.

"Shoto you didn't even want to make friends when you first came here, now look at you! You have my back in everything! Trainings, class, you're always there when I need you," I grin at the boy, fighting the heat that suddenly built up behind my eyes.

"And Katsuki," I smile over at the blonde who had an unreadable expression on his face.

"You've stopped calling us extras, for one." I laugh and he huffs. "And now look at us, you're making us meals everyday."

"It took me months to get over what you both have helped me conquer in what, a week?" I was blubbering now, gesturing wildly to distract from it.

I look pointedly at my lap, trying to hold back the tears that welled up in my eyes.

"I really don't know what I did to deserve you guys..." I laugh but it comes out as a strange sob.

'God I'm terrible.'

I've been lying to their faces, about my past, about the double-life I'd been living even up to now. And shamelessly, I'd been enjoying their affections, their companionship, all the while I'd been too afraid to acknowledge the obvious.

They loved me.

It wasn't a question, they'd made it clear a countless number of times.

And as much as I wanted to ignore it, I couldn't.

Because I loved them too.

My whole life, or what I could remember at least, had been an endless cycle of isolation and fragmented memories.

Yet, with them, it all went away.

My world was quiet, warm and lit with the brilliance of a roaring bonfire.

Being with them was easy. Too easy.

It would just take three words and they'd dance in the palms of my hands.

But the thought of just using them like that hurt more than anything Recovery Girl would be able to measure.

For so long, my quirk had been ruling my life.

For the first time ever, I found something I never wanted to manipulate.

And that's when guilt once again rears its ugly head.

"I really don't deserve you guys..."

I slip my hands from theirs.

Or at least I try to.

They're both holding me down, I can't pull my hands away.

"Don't give me that bullshit," Katsuki growled and I find it hard to look him in the eyes.

He sighs, free hand grabbing a hold of my chin and pulling me to face him.

I try to turn away but it's no use.

"You helped us first, dumbass," he scolded, brows furrowed but not angry, more frustrated.

Before I can deny, he begins to list out everything like a loan shark listing his dues.

"You're the only one who's ever had the balls to honestly critique my fighting," he puffed before adding silently, "and I've been doing better than ever."

"And my nightmares, you're the one who forced your dumbass into my room," somehow he always found a way to insult me before complimenting me. "But I haven't had a nightmare in weeks."

"You helped me too," Shoto smiles, tugging at my hand and I look over at him.

"With my quirk, with discovering myself, with making the friends I never knew I needed," his expression was exceedingly gentle and I shivered.

"Yeah, so you've done enough, stupid bumpkin," Katsuki mutters from behind me and I can't help the relieved laugh that rumbles through my chest.

"It really wasn't..." I try to rebuke but Blasty's grip on my hand tightens in warning.

"And even if you didn't do shit for us, so what?" he scoffed and I looked up at him incredulously.

"Just sit there and take our damn pampering if you want."

"But-" I can hardly find a response to his words.

"We do it because we want to, because its you," Candycane speaks and I can't bring myself to turn back to him as I feel my face burn exceedingly hot.

'HOW DOES HE SAY THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE...?!'

"Still...!" I try to shake away the fluster, "It's not right to always been on the receiving end..."

Katsuki all but laughs while Shoto sighs silently.

"Then don't!" he scoffs and I see a mischievous twinkle in his eye that sends my heartrate skyrocketing.

"You can always pay us back!" he barks and my brain stalls.

'Pay?'

"Katsuki are you broke?"

That one utterance gets me a whap across the top of my head.

"Dumbass..." he mumbles as I rub at my sore forehead.

"Oi, Icyhot," he calls and I turn back to the half-and-half boy, his attention piqued.

"You know what I mean right?"

Mismatched eyes look between me and Katsuki before he nods once.

His hand slips from mine and I blink blankly.

"Sho-" "Just push me away if you want me to stop."

My brain goes fuzzy at his words.

'what?'

And his face is suddenly before mine.

And his breath tickles my cheek.

And then...

-

Then his lips are on mine.